The Potential of Stem Cells is Enormous
Stem cells are a hot topic, but what are they? Stem cells are considered by many to be the key to curing disease.
Many different cells make up our bodies — our bones, heart, skin, hair. But when you think about stem cells, think about basics. Stem cells are cells from which other types of cells can develop. But that’s just the start. They’re the body’s master cells. They start out “neutral,” but can become every kind of body tissue. It’s called “differentiation.”
Under the right conditions, stem cells can divide and renew themselves for long periods. And the best ones are from embryos. One source of stem cells has been embryos.
Embryonic stem cells are derived from a human egg that has been fertilized in vitro in a laboratory. Within five days the human embryo, which is a microscopic ball of cells, is destroyed to obtain the inner cell mast.
That inner cell mast can be developed into different types of cells in the human body and multiplies easily in cell culture.
Adult stem cells are found in mature tissue, such as the umbilical cord, brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood and blood vessels, skeletal muscles, skin and liver.
While adult stem cells are throughout the human body, it can be gleaned only in limited qualities and scientists have been unsuccessful in multiplying these cells in culture. This is important as large amounts of cells are needed for stem cell replacement therapies.
However, the potential benefits of stem cell replacement therapy with adult cells derived from the patient means the cells would not be rejected by the immune system.
Donor embryonic stem cells have not been tested for rejection in humans; such reactions can be treated only with immunosuppressive drugs.
“The earlier it is in life the more plasticity, the more potential and more variation that that cell can deliver,” said University of Illinois at Chicago stem cell researcher Brenda Russell, Ph.D.
The potential of stem cells is enormous. Those that generate into muscle cells could possibly repair a damaged heart; pancreatic cells could cure diabetes; or nerve cells could treat Parkinson’s, spinal-cord injuries and strokes.
